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Saturday, May 11, 2013

General Update--May, 2013

Things have gotten busy again. I've been getting several job offers recently--a few weddings, a rodeo, and a kid's school ministry. I also just got a job at a computer repair shop, so I have less time than ever to work edit these projects...

But the only reason that all of these things are possible is because I now have transportation! With the help of Andy Hanning (he comes to biker church and has a local bike shop in Pueblo) I was able to get the bike trailered in town so I could finally get the thing licensed! I have now been riding it for a week between Pueblo and Fowler. My first big ride was on the Cycle De Mayo, where I, Dad and several dozen other riders went from Pueblo to Rocky Ford to Ordway and then finally back to Pueblo. It was a nice ride and gave me some practice for my future rides into Pueblo...Traffic is no fun on two wheels.

I got to film a rodeo again this year. It's the same one I did last year, but they changed locations, which made things interesting. I had to find ways to get in close without being obtrusive, but also get good audio. It was a long, hard day, but well worth it, in more ways than one. Although I sell DVD's of the event, I also was noticed by Forrest Rowell, who was planning on doing a kids event a couple weekends later. He saw me out there with my big camera and microphone, and asked me if I could help him with the event to film it and create a promo video. Sounded like a great idea, and as it turned out my parents knew this guy very well even though I didn't.

Before I move on, though, I seriously should mention a certain phenomenon that happens at the rodeo and just about everywhere else I film now. When I take my microphone, I put a wind buffer on it--a big, fluffy, hairy thing that is technically called a "Dead Cat" wind buffer. It really does have a practical purpose--when the wind comes in, it reduces the blowing noise that has ruined so many of my audio clips. But any time I bring it out into the open for the public to see, people can't stop looking at it. I've had a few kids even run up and try to grab it! It's funny to see how much attention it gathers from the adults, too. I've been asked countless times what that thing is on top of my camera, and what on earth it's supposed to do! And I have a hunch that's what got Forrest's attention...but I don't know for sure, it's just a guess.

Anyway, by the time that event came around, I had gotten some practice on the motorcycle. I really didn't want to take all my equipment on the bike (if I were to crash, that'd stink anyway, but I didn't want to risk my equipment too!). But I did it and made it there just fine. I went around with the group all day and shot, shot, shot. It was lots of fun, and I'll be uploading some of the results as soon as they're ready.

Now I'm in the process of editing both those projects. As I said earlier, doing those while having two jobs is rather...challenging. More so than I expected, but I keep telling myself that as stressful as it can be, this is what I want to be doing. Nobody is forcing me into these jobs other than myself.

As for my new computer job, I am very excited to see how this turns out. I am getting an education that basically surpasses what the guys at the Geek Squad know (the tech-know-how geeks at Best Buy--yeah, that was my dream job for a few years). What I'm learning will also work for me at other jobs, if I pass the certification test. But for right now, I'm learning how much I haven't learned yet. Just being around these guys, hearing what they are talking about, seeing the way they do things...it makes me feel a lot less tech-savvy! I'm excited to see what I'll be able to learn here.